Paradise Living Center Blog

We’ve seen it on the news and heard stories of it time and time again – scammers pretending to be someone else and taking thousands of dollars from the elderly. Many seniors may not be aware of the possible danger of scammers and can easily get caught in a web of deceit. This 87-year-old woman from Phoenix lost $17,000 when a criminal, who was pretending to be a police captain, convinced her to withdraw money from her bank account and give it to him. It can be difficult for anyone to tell the difference between a scammer and the real...

Did you hear the joke about the germ? Never mind. We don’t want to spread it around! Handwashing is no joke at Paradise Living Centers when it comes to preventing the spreading of germs and keeping our staff and residents healthy.  National Handwashing Awareness Week, which is the first week of December, is an important time to reestablish and promote consistent handwashing. We’re taught at a young age that washing our hands regularly is an essential part of avoiding illness. However, these hygiene habits can slip as we get older, especially when issues with memory loss begin to surface.  The...

More and more adults are finding themselves in the position of being a family caregiver for a parent, spouse or other loved one. According to the AARP’s 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. report, nearly 35 million Americans have provided unpaid care for someone over the age of 50 in the last year. Caregiving is a noble and important part of familial support, but it can also be very challenging. If you find yourself in a new role as a caregiver, it is important to focus on finding a balance between caring for your loved one, and living your life. Here...

When looking for the best assisted living facility for your loved one you want to find the best fit; a place where the caregivers and staff will be devoted to meeting their needs of your senior. The role of a caregiver has many facets including administering medications and helping with daily care and tasks. At Paradise Valley Living Centers our state-certified caregivers also looks after the emotional wellbeing of our residents. Being a caregiver isn’t just a job at our group homes, it’s a vocation. To learn more about what our caregivers do, we sat down with J.J., our senior...

If you want to live a long, healthy life, you may want to rethink reaching for the salt shaker the next time you sit down for a meal. The average American consumes about five teaspoons of salt daily–which is quadruple the amount the body needs! Many of the foods we eat already contain sodium, and adding more salt can be dangerous for your health. Consuming excessive sodium can lead to health issues including high blood pressure and heart problems. To help reduce the risks it is important to know the sodium levels in the foods you consume and to learn...

Preventing infectious disease is one of the most important factors in the overall health and quality of life of your loved one. Respiratory infections, influenza, and pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65. For people with chronic health problems like diabetes, it is even more critical to prevent infection. Diabetics are prone to complications from the flu, including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections. Infections can also make it more difficult to regulate blood sugar. As we move into flu season, International Infection Prevention Week 2016 (October 16-22) aims to provide education on the continued...

Caring for an aging parent or loved one experiencing memory decline or cognitive aging is one thing, but caregiving for an Alzheimer’s suffer is a different matter. Unless you are an expert in Alzheimer’s care, most caregivers or family members are learning about the signs or behaviors of the disease after the fact. An outside point of view from a Certified Dementia Practitioner or medical professional is probably the most valuable input due to their impartiality. It can be difficult to come to terms with the fact that your loved one is not just experiencing memory decline, but is in...

Caring for aging parents can take its toll. It is particularly difficult when you are trying to care for your loved ones from a distance. Advances in technology have made the process somewhat more manageable, but being physically present is often the only way to get true peace-of-mind. Unfortunately, it is not always possible due to geography and circumstance. Many families are physically separated from their aging parents, but try to do whatever they can to overcome the difficulty from afar. During the aging process, things can change quickly. The body and in most cases, the mind doesn’t work like...

Memory loss is a frustrating ailment that can potentially disrupt every facet of daily living. While it’s common for aging adults and seniors to develop some degree of memory loss, this symptom may also indicate the presence of a much more serious condition of early onset dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. For those unfamiliar with Alzheimer’s, this progressive brain disease causes a reduction in thinking, reasoning, and memory skills. Every case of Alzheimer’s is different because patients may develop one or more symptoms with some symptoms being more obvious than others.   Nevertheless, there are a number of signs that may...

If you have an aging parent who’s living home alone, you may worry about their physical and mental wellbeing. While it’s important to maintain a positive mindset, there’s no arguing injury and other life-threatening incidences can happen. To ensure your loved one lives a safe, yet comfortable lifestyle, you may want to consider various safety products for their protection. Should these safety products fail to live up to your expectations, you may want to have an honest discussion with your loved one about assisted living. Paradise Living Centers provides luxury assisted living in Paradise Valley and Phoenix. Certified care managers,...